


scared of the dark? (oneshot)

by saltyb0ba



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Disney, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nyctophobia, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:35:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24833923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltyb0ba/pseuds/saltyb0ba
Summary: Happening right after the ending of season one, Varian is taken to prison and a painful memory resurfaces.
Relationships: Quirin & Varian (Disney)
Kudos: 30





	scared of the dark? (oneshot)

"I will make you pay, Rapunzel. I will make you pay." Varian stood in the back of the prison cart with Ruddiger laying on his shoulders. His hands were cuffed, and there was nothing to do except stare with anger at the princess hugging her father and looking at the setting sun with her friends. She went back on her promise. She made sure she got her happily ever after and got rid of anything that troubled her. That included Varian. His father was still encased in hardened amber, sure to be left there to be forgotten about, just like the rest of Rapunzel's worries. Varian would never forget him.

It was dusk by the time they arrived at the castle, the guards taking Varian by the cuffs and leading him to his jail cell. He was uncuffed and shoved in, and the rusty iron door closed behind him with a creak and clang. He refused to turn around and accuse someone of pushing him, wanting to avoid causing an argument. He was in enough trouble and it wasn't his place to be unhappy at being touched without permission. He sat down on the metal bench provided with the small cell, and sighed. Ruddiger let out a worried squeak. Varian closed his tired eyes, leaning his head against the stone cold wall. He let his mind drift.

A warm glow of candlelight encompassed his vision, casting shadows onto the wall forming what was his home. Near the candle was his father, Quirin, and a younger version of himself and Ruddiger. Quirin had Varian laying on his lap, the sleepy boy struggling to open his eyes.

"I think it's time for bed, kiddo." Quirin told the small boy, picking him up and carrying him to bed. Ruddiger followed, the pitter patter of his steps on the hard stone floor breaking the silence. Quirin set his son in bed, fast asleep by now, and pulled the covers over him. Ruddiger hopped up on his bed, and laid down. Quirin quietly closed the door and got things ready for tomorrow, finally going to sleep himself.

It was late into the night when the front door was busted open. Varian was instantly awoken, and he shook Ruddiger to wake him up. Startled by the loud noise, he picked up Ruddiger and tried to run to his Dad's room, as he did when there were thunderstorms, but was stopped by whoever broke into the house. 

He was picked up by the collar of his nightshirt, and in the process dropped Ruddiger, who ran into Quirin's room. The stranger had a strong grip on him and Varian felt like he was choking. Because it was dark, he couldn't see who his attacker was. He couldn't rescue himself. He couldn't stop being touched by the stranger, the stranger trying to assess if he was enough of a threat to pacify. Varian HATED being touched if it wasn't a hug, pat or nuzzle from Ruddiger. He was too afraid to cry because the stranger might hit him. So he kept his sobs silent. Just then, as the stranger was looking through Varian's room, Quirin burst out of his. 

"STAND DOWN." He yelled, tackling the stranger, and managing to disarm him but it knocked out Varian in the process; his head was hit against his bedframe. Ruddiger rushed to check on Varian while Quirin took the stranger outside with him, walking to the town official. When he was done, he walked back to the house and put the door back up as best he could. Guess he'd need to replace it soon. When he entered Varian's room, Varian was sitting where he hit the floor, crying super hard, saying "daddy, im scared," over and over again. Quirin sat down and comforted his son, letting Varian hold Ruddiger if it made him more calm. Then the vision started to fade to black. 

The candle went out.

Varian snapped his eyes open, realizing that it was now pitch black in the cell. Nobody else was in prison. It was just him and Ruddiger. He started to tear up.

"Ruddiger, I wish none of this ever happened. I wish we could just be a normal family again." His sobs getting more intense, Ruddiger hopped up onto Varian's lap. The cold air of the cell along with the feeling that there was no one to save him if someone tried to hurt him amplified his fear.

Clutching Ruddiger tight, he cried until there were no tears left.


End file.
